As promised, here is a view of the owl pillow I am making.

Stage one of Merlin, (unless you can think of a better name) complete. Now to sew and stuff him. He will gain a better shape, once the 1/2 inch inseams are taken in.



How does he look? Final product to come tonight!


AND NOW THE GRAND UNVEILING!

Meet Merlin, my newest dorm room companion.





If you or anyone you know would like me to make one, let me know! I will take orders. Perfect for the graduate, new sorority girl.... um... anyone? :)

I want to open a bakery. This bakery will be a collaboration with my handmade shop that I also want to open.

My brilliant cupcake/pastry/handmade shop will be named....
(drum roll please)

PINWHEELSandPASTRIES!

Too bad I actually have to go to college and get into medical school and become a physician (well, actually I am lucky enough to hope this will happen.) But if things don't go my way, this will be my back-up career.

In the meantime, beginning an owl pillow today for my room, as well as a rose pound cake. Post pictures when I am done.

If you know me, you know I am a cat woman. Let me introduce you to cat number one:

Amelia Dumbledore Anderson. Really though, her name is Mildred. She is also in the recent movie Where the Wild Things Are, starring as Max.

Recently I began treasure hunting with my mom at flea markets to find dinner plates with all the different states on them. We found some great ones at the outside vendors at Canton's Trades Days a few weeks ago. We picked up some plates from cities in NE- Milford and Nebraska City, one from Kansas City, MO, one for the whole state of LA, and one from NY. We add these plates to our plates already owned- OH, NE, SD, and MN. We love Nebraska, can't you tell? So stumbling through blogs, I happen across some pillows, that much like the plates, bear a pattern of a great state or well-know city/landmark. I think this will be my life-long collection goal, to find pillows from the places that mean the most to me. Of course, you can buy them all from one person on the internet, but what's the fun in that? Buying all 50+ would seem absurd (where would they all go?) but sticking with a few would a pretty cool statement in a room.

Here are some of my favorites, starting with the great Lone Star State-

Feeding my families unnatural obsession with Nebraska-

Venturing to places overseas-

And actually, my favorite, the entire US-


all the states, plus a few more, here.

Which is your favorite?

Today I received my rug for my dorm room in the mail! I am so excited. I also got my sheets the other day. Everything is starting to come together, making me more and more anxious to get to Oklahoma and begin my college career!

Also, I got a roommate! I found out my original roommate is no longer going to OU, rather UT (yuck!) so for a while I thought I would have a room with no roommate. But alas, a girl found me who's roommate is also no longer attending. So volia! Now I have a roommate! Hopefully she is ok with the bedding/rugs I have already chosen, since I thought it was going to be just me. :)

Look through my dorm labeled posts and you can see my dorm room finds so far!

Today's just not been my kind of day.
I don't have anything in particular that has made it terrible, and it really isn't terrible. It's just not the best day.
My best friend left for week #2 of counseling for a summer camp today. It's weird to only see him once a week. And it's weird I will be in Oklahoma before he is home for the summer for good.

I did enjoy a nice day lounging by the pool. My, was it hot. I decided to start rereading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows again, in preparation for the part one of the movie coming out in November. This is probably my fourth time to read it, since it came out July 2007. I cannot wait for the movies! How sad when the series of movies is over. I was sad enough when I finished the books. (And you know I read those books nonstop the night they came out!)

Anyway, it brighten my mood, I decided to make some Oreo Truffles. I haven't made these in quite a while, so I am excited. I love Oreo Truffles. :)

Pictures to come of the truffles later tonight.

My summertime freckles are in full force.


The bridge of my nose looks like brown paint has been spattered all over it.
My cheeks are spotted with dots.
My left eye has it's usual brown blob.

This is the best part of my summer skin.

My first piece of jewelry has been made! Hooray for my first item to be added to my Etsy shop! This piece is actually going to my sister for a late birthday present, but I will make one identical for the shop! It is a 17 inch necklace with smokey quartz peridot drop, with smokey quartz crystals, 14K plated findings. Any suggestions on my store's name? How does keeping 'let go of what you know' sound?

Anyway, happy birthday (late) Emily! Here is your present! Hopefully it's close enough to our favorite necklace.

I really want to start an Etsy shop. I don't know what I would sell, or if I am creative enough to sell anything at all. But for now I will dabble at jewelry making. We will see where that goes. Here are my latest purchases towards my jewelry making...


These beads were purchased at a neat store in Tyler called Bead Crazee. I am wanting to make two necklaces like the ones seen below that both Emily and I either lost or broke. This was my favorite necklace.


My long term idea for an Etsy shop would be to create a handmade market here in Tyler, featuring handmade crafts and arts made by locals. How neat would that be? I went to store called Textures Handmade Market in Tallahassee, FL when I went to visit Emily, and fell in love. Not only does it have an array of homemade pillows, wonderful art, neat jewelry, BUT it has a cupcake store housed within the same room called Lucy and Leo's Cupcakery. Two of my favorite things under one roof. Amazing. How would good old Tyler react to a store like this? A good competitor for overpriced accessory stores, such as the ever pricey Spinout? I would hope that Tyler would take it with open arms. But then again, this is the not-so-cultured East Texas we are talking about. As much as I love Tyler (the city, not necessarily all the people here) I am afraid our little community couldn't handle and wouldn't support a venture such as a handmade market. But who knows if you don't try?

So now I have a goal to complete before I graduate. I know it will take a lot of time, resources, and talent, but if you know me, you know I have the drive to get things done.

While we ponder the great ideas that could happen, look at this blog post for my inspiration for the Tyler Handmade Market. I love their motto. Maybe a good name for a market one day coming to Tyler. People not factories. I like.

One last note, I found out that Norman (where I will be for the next 4 years) holds a huge music festival/arts fair in the middle of campus corner twice a year. This fall, on August 28th. I cannot wait to go to it and scope out all the goodies! If anyone would like to come visit me at OU, this would be a great and fun weekend to come! See Dustbowl Arts Market.

TRY THESE.

Unlike bubbly stomachs and allergies AND OH I FORGOT SPIDERS.... I have a newfound obsession with these Everything Bagels by Sara Lee. Nom nom nom!



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